SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - There is no way to sugarcoat yet the latest Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division rout Friday at Rotary Field by Schuylkill Haven over Mahanoy Area at Rotary Field.
In fact, the 69-0 romp by the Hurricanes (4-0, 3-0 Blue) was anything than bittersweet for the 'Canes who lost senior running back-linebacker Niko Carestia for the rest of his career after suffering a first-quarter leg injury. Teams don't get to be ranked No. 1 in the state Class AA poll, which the "Canes are, when being a one-man show, and although he is generally recognized as the team leader, he has offensive help from running backs Colton Reber and Niko Castillo and quarterback Max Heim.
When Carestia's season came crashing down with 3:42 remaining in the quarter, he had rushed 37 times for 304 yards and three touchdowns. It was his leadership, however, that will be difficult to replace.
In all likelihood Reber, the teams leading rusher with 36 carries for 513 yards and six touchdowns, will see his workload increase. Heim could also be used to step up his option passing off his performance against the Golden Bears (0-4, 0-3).
Heim opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Andy Balulis, and when he combined with a Castillo on a 42-yard touchdown pass to end the quarter the score was 35-0. Heim threw just one other pass, but it was good for a 60-yard touchdown to Reber in the second quarter.
Haven coach Mike Farr knows the first real test for his team will come Thursday when it plays Minersville, which is coming off its first loss 43-40 to undefeated Williams Valley. Haven then travels to Williams Valley to take on the defending District 11-AA champions, Friday, Sept. 26.
"I told them we have to come together and play hard, and that's what we did," Farr said. "Injuries happen, but you never replace a kid like that.
"He's one of the best players in the state, so, it's just next man up and we just keep fighting. We have a lot of football ahead of us; we just have to keep working."
Haven wasted no time going to work against the Golden Bears, with Reber scoring from the 3 on the first play after Carestia went out, and in the second quarter scored on runs of 19 and 23 yards. Castillo scored the first of his four touchdowns on a 17-yard fumble return in the first quarter before his touchdown reception and second-quarter scoring runs of 8 and 4 yards.
Heim is now 17-for-27 for 431 yards and eight touchdowns for the season, but much of the passing success is an extension of the running game. Haven manhandled the Bears by rushing 43 times for 359 yards and 18 first downs.
Defensively the Hurricanes had even gaudier numbers allowing minus-25 yards rushing, one completion for 14 yards for net of minus-11 yards and three first downs. Mahanoy lost 4-of-5 fumbles, and in addition to Castillo's fumble return for a touchdown, Wyatt Keefer, Braden Shappell and Bryce Reber recovered fumbles for Haven.
Bradyn Diehl and Balulis had interceptions to give the Hurricanes six takeaways and a 211-33 scoring advantage. Now more than ever, however, the defense and running game will be tested.
"Luckily, we have a really good backfield," Farr said. "There are some things we have to clean up."
"Not having Carestia on the field is a big factor for us, but we are just going to continue to work. Emotionally, we just need to keep him in our minds and we will just move on from there, and everybody else has to do their job and step up.
"We have a lot of good football players on this team, and I am sure that they are going to play for him and know how hard he's worked to be a part of that. We wouldn't be where we are today if he wasn't a part of that."
That's way what should have been an otherwise sweet victory tasted so bitter.
First Downs -- - 3 18Rushes-Yards -- 21-(-25) 43-359Passes -- - 1-7-2 3-3-0Passing Yards -- - 14 123Total Yards -- - (-11) 482Fumbles/Lost -- - 5-4 0-0Penalties -- 0-0 9-115
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Mahanoy Area -- Quick 4-6, Arevalo 3-4, Stoyer 3-(-1), Team 1-(-1),Contreras 3-(-16), Kowalchick 7-(-17). Schuylkill Haven -- Reber 17-206, Yoder 8-70,Carestia 6-48, Balulis 2-13, Goad 1-12, Castillo 6-10, Diehl 1-5, Team 1-(-1), Gerber 1-(-4).
PASSING: Mahanoy Area -- Kowalchick 1-7-2, 14. Schuylkill Haven -- Heim 3-3-0,123.
RECEIVING: Mahanoy Area -- Arevalo 1-14. Schuylkill Haven -- Reber 1-60, Castillo1-42, Balulis 1-9.